Contemporary YA Debut: I’LL TELL YOU MINE by Pip Harry

Everything about her – especially her goth make-up and clothes – screams different and the girls at her school keep their distance. Besides, how can Kate be herself, really herself, when she’s hiding her big secret? The one that landed her in boarding school in the first place. She’s buried it down deep but it always seems to surface.

But then sometimes new friends, and even love, can find you when you least expect it.

So how do you take that first step and reveal yourself when you’re not sure that people want to see the real you? (summary courtesy of Penguin Books Australia)

BRIDGE: This book could be used in the classroom as part of a literature circle. This could be done with two different themes: character development or contemporary YA fiction. This book lends itself well to both areas. Paired with other good contemporary YA, students could study the characteristics of contemporary fiction through several different titles. This book could also be used in tandem with other books dealing with female characters discovering their own identities. Students could track Kate’s character arc along with the characters in other YA titles and compare the different scenarios used in each text to bring about the character change.

READERS: Readers who enjoy realistic fiction will enjoy this book. Kate is annoyingly likeable and a character that many teens could identify with and she struggles to balance who she is with the mold her parents and her school have prepared for her. Readers who like a bit of mystery will enjoy this book too. One is compelled to keep reading to find out Kate’s secret.

OTHER TITLES: Readers who enjoy this book will also enjoy Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta, Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Stolarz or The Fallen series by Lauren Kate.

In fact, Melina Marchetta has already given her resounding endorsement.